Charlie Jones, owner of Collision on Wheels, a mobile auto body shop serving Shelby and Jefferson County also specializes in fiberglass(frp grating) repair for RVs and mobile homes. Charlie purchased his franchise in January, 2009 when he decided to make a career change. “I take pride in providing top-notch service, completing work in a timely fashion and offering a guarantee for as long as the customer owns their vehicle, RV or mobile home,” said Charlie.
Though Collision on Wheels is best known for dent repair, paint repair and minor auto collision repair for cars and trucks, Charlie Jones also specializes in fiberglass repair for RVs and mobile homes. “Consumers enjoy the convenience of having an auto body shop that comes to their home or workplace to do auto body work. My company also meets a demand for body work on RVs and mobile homes.”
Collision on Wheels advanced technology provides technicians with a fully-equipped van with everything they need to do on-site auto body work. They use top-skilled auto body repair technicians who must pass a complete screening and background check and be well qualified and highly trained to use the high-tech tools and techniques. Collision on Wheels technicians are fully insured and they receive continuous training to keep ahead of the competition.
Charlie Jones provides services for residential customers and businesses including rental car companies, dealerships and companies with a fleet of vehicles including maids, pest control services, Coke/Pepsi and anyone who has a vehicle. Most work is completed within hours and the cost is less than a typical insurance deductible, eliminating the need for an insurance claim. “In the event that repairs are extensive, we do work with insurance companies,” said Jones.
Collision on Wheels is a national franchise company specializing in mobile auto body repair. The franchise services a niche market of consumers who don’t have time to take their vehicle to a body shop for small collision repairs and who are reluctant to file an insurance claim.
2009年8月31日星期一
2009年8月30日星期日
Fibreglass Reinforced Doors Provide Blast Protection
SL-17 Fiberglass Reinforced Polyester (FRP) Flush Door was found to provide protection to building occupants from flying debris in the event of an explosion according to the criteria of the ASTM F 1642-04 Standard Test Method for Glazing and Glazing Systems Subject to Airblast Loading.
When blasts occur in urban areas, glass shards and similar material from fractured doors and windows can pose significant danger to building occupants. Developed by ASTM International in cooperation with the U.S. Departments of Defense and State following the 2001 terrorist attacks, the ASTM F 1642-04 standard measures the potential hazard from flying glass or other fragments in the event of such an explosion.
Third-party testing lab Architectural Testing Inc. conducted the test in June, attaching a standard SL-17 door to a large shock tube, a machine that simulates the effect of an actual explosive device. When subjected to force in the 5.5 to 6.5 psi range, the SL-17 was slightly damaged but remained operational.
"The amazing thing is that this is the same FRP door Special-Lite has been making since 1982," said Dan Depta, Marketing Manager for Special-Lite, Inc. "We keep challenging the SL-17 with new tests, and it keeps passing. Facility managers with existing installations and those who choose SL-17 for the future, now get the additional peace of mind knowing they have blast protection, too."
The SL-17 has previously passed similar third-party tests for windborne debris and impact resistance in order to achieve hurricane-rating and Florida product approval. Despite its blast resistance, the SL-17 door is not intended for fire-rated applications. Instead, Special-Lite recommends its SL-21 fire-rated FRP doors with ratings up to 90 minutes.
When blasts occur in urban areas, glass shards and similar material from fractured doors and windows can pose significant danger to building occupants. Developed by ASTM International in cooperation with the U.S. Departments of Defense and State following the 2001 terrorist attacks, the ASTM F 1642-04 standard measures the potential hazard from flying glass or other fragments in the event of such an explosion.
Third-party testing lab Architectural Testing Inc. conducted the test in June, attaching a standard SL-17 door to a large shock tube, a machine that simulates the effect of an actual explosive device. When subjected to force in the 5.5 to 6.5 psi range, the SL-17 was slightly damaged but remained operational.
"The amazing thing is that this is the same FRP door Special-Lite has been making since 1982," said Dan Depta, Marketing Manager for Special-Lite, Inc. "We keep challenging the SL-17 with new tests, and it keeps passing. Facility managers with existing installations and those who choose SL-17 for the future, now get the additional peace of mind knowing they have blast protection, too."
The SL-17 has previously passed similar third-party tests for windborne debris and impact resistance in order to achieve hurricane-rating and Florida product approval. Despite its blast resistance, the SL-17 door is not intended for fire-rated applications. Instead, Special-Lite recommends its SL-21 fire-rated FRP doors with ratings up to 90 minutes.
2009年8月27日星期四
Chinese to add 358 000 MW of FGD by 2020
The installed capacity of flue gas desulphurization (FGD) systems in China will rise from 365 000 MW this year to 723 000 MW in 2020 according to the latest forecast in FGD World Markets, an ongoing publication of the McIlvaine Company.
This investment in 358 000 MW of FGD represents a value based on international pricing of over 100 billion dollars, says the report. Despite the fact that prices of FGD systems in China are 50 per cent lower, this market represents a big potential for suppliers of slurry pumps, mixers, alloy steel, valves, limestone, ball mills, nozzles, fans and many other components and consumables.
The magnitude of the Chinese effort to clean up its coal fired plants is put into perspective with the comparison to the total world FGD capacity today. World capacity is only 797 000 MW and this represents the cumulative investment of the world over the period 1968 to 2009. The world has been adding FGD capacity at a rate of 19 000 MW/yr. China has had some recent years where FGD capacity additions were above 70 000 MW. Over the next eleven years it will add 32 000 MW of FGD per year. This represents 75 per cent of all the new FGD to be installed each year.
There are now a number of Chinese companies offering components for FGD systems. The big FGD slurry recycle pumps have only been available from a few European-based suppliers. Now several Chinese companies are offering the very large pumps and others are offering the smaller ones.
Chinese FGD systems use more synthetics and less alloy metals than European or U.S. FGD systems. Chinese FRP suppliers have teamed with international companies to offer scrubber shells and stack liners of FRP. The ceramic scrubber nozzles are now available from multiple sources within China. Chinese system suppliers have primarily teamed with licensors from Japan, Europe and the U.S. Most of the systems have been wet using limestone as the reagent. Recently a system which will utilize ammonia to make ammonium sulphate fertilizer was awarded to a Chinese/U.S. team. Along the coast there have been some systems designed to use seawater for scrubbing. The world's largest fluid bed dry lime absorber has also been awarded by a Chinese utility.
A number of steps are being taken to improve the operations of existing installations. This will provide a retrofit opportunity of sizable proportions. Offshore suppliers of instrumentation and optimization systems have a big opportunity in this market.
related website:http://www.lydry.com/
This investment in 358 000 MW of FGD represents a value based on international pricing of over 100 billion dollars, says the report. Despite the fact that prices of FGD systems in China are 50 per cent lower, this market represents a big potential for suppliers of slurry pumps, mixers, alloy steel, valves, limestone, ball mills, nozzles, fans and many other components and consumables.
The magnitude of the Chinese effort to clean up its coal fired plants is put into perspective with the comparison to the total world FGD capacity today. World capacity is only 797 000 MW and this represents the cumulative investment of the world over the period 1968 to 2009. The world has been adding FGD capacity at a rate of 19 000 MW/yr. China has had some recent years where FGD capacity additions were above 70 000 MW. Over the next eleven years it will add 32 000 MW of FGD per year. This represents 75 per cent of all the new FGD to be installed each year.
There are now a number of Chinese companies offering components for FGD systems. The big FGD slurry recycle pumps have only been available from a few European-based suppliers. Now several Chinese companies are offering the very large pumps and others are offering the smaller ones.
Chinese FGD systems use more synthetics and less alloy metals than European or U.S. FGD systems. Chinese FRP suppliers have teamed with international companies to offer scrubber shells and stack liners of FRP. The ceramic scrubber nozzles are now available from multiple sources within China. Chinese system suppliers have primarily teamed with licensors from Japan, Europe and the U.S. Most of the systems have been wet using limestone as the reagent. Recently a system which will utilize ammonia to make ammonium sulphate fertilizer was awarded to a Chinese/U.S. team. Along the coast there have been some systems designed to use seawater for scrubbing. The world's largest fluid bed dry lime absorber has also been awarded by a Chinese utility.
A number of steps are being taken to improve the operations of existing installations. This will provide a retrofit opportunity of sizable proportions. Offshore suppliers of instrumentation and optimization systems have a big opportunity in this market.
related website:http://www.lydry.com/
2009年8月26日星期三
Floor drain grates is added to the list of grating products of Rockcreteusa
Rockcreteusa has a dedicated steel service center that specializes in providing quality grating products. They offer a complete line-up of metal grating products that includes welded bar grating, stair treads and molded and pultruded fiberglass. Floor drain grates for drainage systems are rectangular in shape with a variety of applications. A drain grate body has a circular lower portion i.e. outlet and configured to mate with an under drain structure. The upper portion defines an inlet that is configured to receive the drain grate in a frictional fit.
Since 2005, Rockcreteusa has provided focused service in the metal industry to all customers. Depending upon your requirement whether large or small, we proudly offer our services to 52 states within the US. Our knowledgeable, friendly sales personnel routinely work together with engineers, designers, architects, buyers, and maintenance personnel to quickly and effectively find solutions to their needs. Not only this, our experts can create concrete trench drain grates in any configuration, size, color, texture or style needed.
Welded carbon heavy duty steel grating is the most popular choice of customers when they are looking for high strength grating. As a matter of fact, the main bars are slotted and assembled with cross bars. These bars are welded with one fillet weld at every joint. With a great list of grating products, Rockcreteusa continues to pioneer. For more information about Floor drain grates, Trench Drains visit http://www.rockcreteusa.com/
Since 2005, Rockcreteusa has provided focused service in the metal industry to all customers. Depending upon your requirement whether large or small, we proudly offer our services to 52 states within the US. Our knowledgeable, friendly sales personnel routinely work together with engineers, designers, architects, buyers, and maintenance personnel to quickly and effectively find solutions to their needs. Not only this, our experts can create concrete trench drain grates in any configuration, size, color, texture or style needed.
Welded carbon heavy duty steel grating is the most popular choice of customers when they are looking for high strength grating. As a matter of fact, the main bars are slotted and assembled with cross bars. These bars are welded with one fillet weld at every joint. With a great list of grating products, Rockcreteusa continues to pioneer. For more information about Floor drain grates, Trench Drains visit http://www.rockcreteusa.com/
2009年8月25日星期二
CanWel Building Materials Income Fund Declares August Cash
CanWel Building Materials Income Fund (the "Fund") (TSX:CWX.UN) today declared a cash distribution of $0.04166 per trust unit for the period from August 1, 2009 to August 31, 2009.
- The August cash distribution will be paid on September 18, 2009 to unitholders of record at the close of business on August 31, 2009.
- This is the Fund`s 51st consecutive monthly cash distribution to its unitholders.
- The Fund's policy is for unitholders of record on the last business day of a calendar month to receive distributions on or about the 20th day following the end of such month.
The Fund trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol CWX.UN and is one of Canada's largest national distributors in the building materials and related products sector, operating 16 distribution centres across Canada. The Fund distributes a wide range of hardware, building materials, lumber and renovation products.
Further information can be found in the disclosure documents filed by CanWel Building Materials Income Fund with the securities regulatory authorities, available at www.sedar.com.
Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking" statements. When used in this press release, such statements use words, including but not limited to, "may", "will", "expect", "believe", "plan", "intend", "anticipate" and other similar terminology. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations of the Fund's management regarding future events but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Fund, including the performance of, and distributable cash generated by, its subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Actual events could differ materially from those projected herein and depend on a number of factors. These factors include the risk that acquisitions will not be integrated successfully; the risk that any cost savings and any synergies from transactions may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; and disruption from acquisitions making it more difficult to maintain relationships with customers, employees or suppliers. Additional risks and uncertainties include, among others: general economic and business conditions, product selling prices, commodity price fluctuations, information systems risk, environmental risk, interest rate changes, operating costs, and competitive conditions. These statements reflect management's current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date of this press release. The foregoing risk factors are not exhaustive and are merely illustrative; additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the periodic and other reports filed by the Fund with Canadian Securities Commissions and available on Sedar (http://www.sedar.com). The Fund does not undertake, and specifically disclaims, any obligation to update or revise any forward looking information, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
Reference is made above to distributable cash. We define distributable cash as net earnings before depreciation, amortization, gain or loss on sale of fixed assets, goodwill impairment loss, provision for future income taxes, unit based compensation and after maintenance of business capital expenditure and contributions to any reserves the Board of Trustees of the Fund deem to be reasonable and necessary for the operations of the Fund.
- The August cash distribution will be paid on September 18, 2009 to unitholders of record at the close of business on August 31, 2009.
- This is the Fund`s 51st consecutive monthly cash distribution to its unitholders.
- The Fund's policy is for unitholders of record on the last business day of a calendar month to receive distributions on or about the 20th day following the end of such month.
The Fund trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol CWX.UN and is one of Canada's largest national distributors in the building materials and related products sector, operating 16 distribution centres across Canada. The Fund distributes a wide range of hardware, building materials, lumber and renovation products.
Further information can be found in the disclosure documents filed by CanWel Building Materials Income Fund with the securities regulatory authorities, available at www.sedar.com.
Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking" statements. When used in this press release, such statements use words, including but not limited to, "may", "will", "expect", "believe", "plan", "intend", "anticipate" and other similar terminology. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations of the Fund's management regarding future events but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Fund, including the performance of, and distributable cash generated by, its subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Actual events could differ materially from those projected herein and depend on a number of factors. These factors include the risk that acquisitions will not be integrated successfully; the risk that any cost savings and any synergies from transactions may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; and disruption from acquisitions making it more difficult to maintain relationships with customers, employees or suppliers. Additional risks and uncertainties include, among others: general economic and business conditions, product selling prices, commodity price fluctuations, information systems risk, environmental risk, interest rate changes, operating costs, and competitive conditions. These statements reflect management's current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date of this press release. The foregoing risk factors are not exhaustive and are merely illustrative; additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the periodic and other reports filed by the Fund with Canadian Securities Commissions and available on Sedar (http://www.sedar.com). The Fund does not undertake, and specifically disclaims, any obligation to update or revise any forward looking information, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
Reference is made above to distributable cash. We define distributable cash as net earnings before depreciation, amortization, gain or loss on sale of fixed assets, goodwill impairment loss, provision for future income taxes, unit based compensation and after maintenance of business capital expenditure and contributions to any reserves the Board of Trustees of the Fund deem to be reasonable and necessary for the operations of the Fund.
2009年8月24日星期一
Kitchen gadgets to Microplane grater
Kitchen gadgets to make cooking easy and fun – Microplane Grater.
Cooking gadgets come and go, but Microplane zesters are currently on our current top 10 favorite kitchen gadgets:
Microplane zester - (around $13) These are perfect for zesting citrus; and grating cheese and chocolate. There are 3 types of Microplanes; citrus zester, cheese grater and ribbon grater. The regular zester is probably the most useful, but they are small, inexpensive, and don't take up much room in your kitchen so why not have for all three!
For quick grating of garlic, ginger and cheese, these can’t be beat. They now also come in narrow and wider widths so you can choose the type you like.
These can be purchased at Bed Bath & Beyond or any cookware store
other grating:frp grating
2009年8月23日星期日
Volunteer Group Discovers Robbery
Volunteers were supposed to help fix up this domestic violence shelter.They do it about once every few weeks, but were surprised when they showed up Sunday morning."What they did is take a pair of wire cutters and cut the bottom part," said Kathy Daily.When Daily showed up to the storage facility she said she knew something was wrong and when she opened up the door almost everything was gone."It was just a feeling of disbelief," said Daily.There was $7,000 worth of building materials as frp grating that were stolen and the supplies were for an important project."It was sad. There were some tears. There was some anger," said Daily.Volunteers with a non-profit organization called CREW need those donated items to renovate a counseling center that helps immigrant mothers and their children cope with domestic violence."This matting was for the children's playground that we're building and they left a couple pieces but we had to special order this from out of state it was pretty expensive," said Daily.Finishing the playground was top priority, but without flooring and funding. The project is now at a standstill."It's sad to think something we we're doing to help other folks...someone sabotaged," Daily said.While Daily questioned how someone could have done this, she said her top priority is figuring out how to move forward with renovations."You can't stop the work of people who want to do stuff in the community. We're going to keep at it and we're going to find a way. We're going t find a way," Daily said.The supplies were all donated and bought through grants.The volunteer organization said they need donations.
2009年8月20日星期四
CHPS debuts high-performance building products database
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) made a new tool available to product manufacturers to help customers identify building products that contribute to sustainable, healthy, built environments. The tool is an online, searchable database where manufacturers can list products that have met certain environmental or health standards ranging from recycled content to materials that contribute to improved indoor air quality.
The project was funded by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and was supported by the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB), California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI).
"CHPS is excited to be able to offer a new tool to help schools and all building types achieve the highest standards for sustainability and health,” said Bill Orr, executive director of CHPS. “Identifying products that meet these standards can be the toughest part of the battle for school and building owners and designers, so we wanted to offer them an easy, accessible solution that will also help to increase the commercial use of these products.”
The database will list low-emitting materials, materials containing recycled content, rapidly renewable materials, organically grown materials, certified sustainable wood products, and products with low mercury content. The database will also list “multiple attribute” products, including Environmentally Preferable Products (EPP), Resilient Floor (NSF 140), low-emitting office furniture (BIFMA), and products that have undergone life cycle assessments.
"Using environmentally-sound building materials and products promotes healthier indoor air quality and contributes to reducing a building's carbon footprint," said Tom Huetteman, Waste Management Division associate director for U.S. EPA's Pacific Southwest Division. "Manufacturers are increasingly providing environmentally-friendly, green building materials. EPA funding has helped CHPS create this database, which offers an important opportunity for manufacturers to gain consumer awareness of their green building products.”
The database is one of the first of its kind to combine a diverse slate of certifications to address high performance building practices. As the database continues to grow, CHPS will strive to add new product categories, and new functionalities, such as a search function based on a product’s green building rating program compliance.
“This one stop, easy-to-use database supports informed choices for creating buildings that are good for people and the environment" Huetteman added.
Manufacturers are required to submit documents proving their products’ certification. Products that have not been verified can be listed in the database but are “flagged” with a self-declaration status. Certifications are valid for two years. The database replaces the low-emitting materials table, a popular resource provided by CHPS. This static table is referenced by a number of green building standards for schools and other types of buildings.
CHPS is a 501c(3) non-profit headquartered in San Francisco. The Collaborative for High Performance Schools created the nation’s first green building rating program developed especially for school learning environments. The mission of CHPS is make schools better places to learn. CHPS improves the quality of education for our nation’s schoolchildren by facilitating the design, construction and operation of a new generation of high performance - environmentally sustainable, healthy and comfortable
more informations :frp grating
The project was funded by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and was supported by the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB), California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI).
"CHPS is excited to be able to offer a new tool to help schools and all building types achieve the highest standards for sustainability and health,” said Bill Orr, executive director of CHPS. “Identifying products that meet these standards can be the toughest part of the battle for school and building owners and designers, so we wanted to offer them an easy, accessible solution that will also help to increase the commercial use of these products.”
The database will list low-emitting materials, materials containing recycled content, rapidly renewable materials, organically grown materials, certified sustainable wood products, and products with low mercury content. The database will also list “multiple attribute” products, including Environmentally Preferable Products (EPP), Resilient Floor (NSF 140), low-emitting office furniture (BIFMA), and products that have undergone life cycle assessments.
"Using environmentally-sound building materials and products promotes healthier indoor air quality and contributes to reducing a building's carbon footprint," said Tom Huetteman, Waste Management Division associate director for U.S. EPA's Pacific Southwest Division. "Manufacturers are increasingly providing environmentally-friendly, green building materials. EPA funding has helped CHPS create this database, which offers an important opportunity for manufacturers to gain consumer awareness of their green building products.”
The database is one of the first of its kind to combine a diverse slate of certifications to address high performance building practices. As the database continues to grow, CHPS will strive to add new product categories, and new functionalities, such as a search function based on a product’s green building rating program compliance.
“This one stop, easy-to-use database supports informed choices for creating buildings that are good for people and the environment" Huetteman added.
Manufacturers are required to submit documents proving their products’ certification. Products that have not been verified can be listed in the database but are “flagged” with a self-declaration status. Certifications are valid for two years. The database replaces the low-emitting materials table, a popular resource provided by CHPS. This static table is referenced by a number of green building standards for schools and other types of buildings.
CHPS is a 501c(3) non-profit headquartered in San Francisco. The Collaborative for High Performance Schools created the nation’s first green building rating program developed especially for school learning environments. The mission of CHPS is make schools better places to learn. CHPS improves the quality of education for our nation’s schoolchildren by facilitating the design, construction and operation of a new generation of high performance - environmentally sustainable, healthy and comfortable
more informations :frp grating
2009年8月19日星期三
Plasti-Fab Launches Guardian Industrial Shelter Line
Plasti-Fab, the manufacturer of world class composite solutions, has officially launched their new line of Guardian Shelters in conjunction with their corresponding web site, solely dedicated to customizing and purchasing the shelters online.
The Guardian Shelters are pre-engineered, pre-wired, and built with Plasti-Fab's recognized corrosion resistant Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (frp grating), providing, durable, economical, and long-lasting housing for protection of outdoor equipment. They are designed with reinforced walls and have a 25 year guarantee for protection against the severe elements, including 135 MPH winds, 40PSF snow loading, and R7 insulation factor. As a unique benefit, the shelters are shipped complete and ready for use. Examples of typical applications include instruments, pumps, blowers, generators, chemical feeders and telecommunications equipment.
The new website offers immediate pricing for all models and a simple, user-friendly interface for customizing any of the 11 different sizes to fit your specific needs. Upgrades and additional design features are also available.
"It is extremely exciting for the Plasti-Fab family," says Ron Schneberger, International markets and contract manufacturing manager, "to see the research, engineering, and design that went into our industrial shelter line have a tangible influence on both the evolution of the company and development of the composites solution industry."
For 40 years now, Plasti-Fab has been developing innovative corrosion resistant equipment out of their facility in Tualatin, Oregon. Over that time, the company has evolved and expanded their composites expertise into contract manufacturing for industry applications and are a recognized visionary company for fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP). This evolution has allowed Plasti-Fab to bring their experience to new industries, a second location in Lakeland, Florida, and new products, including the new Guardian Shelter Line.
About Plasti-Fab
Plasti-Fab is a world class composite products manufacturer focused on flexible manufacturing that solves customer's needs. For over 40 years they have produced engineered products designed to meet specific application requirements. Plasti-Fab serves the global marketplace from their facilities in Tualatin, Oregon and Lakeland, Florida, as a service-oriented organization with the experience necessary to recommend workable equipment and installation modifications when required.
The Guardian Shelters are pre-engineered, pre-wired, and built with Plasti-Fab's recognized corrosion resistant Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (frp grating), providing, durable, economical, and long-lasting housing for protection of outdoor equipment. They are designed with reinforced walls and have a 25 year guarantee for protection against the severe elements, including 135 MPH winds, 40PSF snow loading, and R7 insulation factor. As a unique benefit, the shelters are shipped complete and ready for use. Examples of typical applications include instruments, pumps, blowers, generators, chemical feeders and telecommunications equipment.
The new website offers immediate pricing for all models and a simple, user-friendly interface for customizing any of the 11 different sizes to fit your specific needs. Upgrades and additional design features are also available.
"It is extremely exciting for the Plasti-Fab family," says Ron Schneberger, International markets and contract manufacturing manager, "to see the research, engineering, and design that went into our industrial shelter line have a tangible influence on both the evolution of the company and development of the composites solution industry."
For 40 years now, Plasti-Fab has been developing innovative corrosion resistant equipment out of their facility in Tualatin, Oregon. Over that time, the company has evolved and expanded their composites expertise into contract manufacturing for industry applications and are a recognized visionary company for fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP). This evolution has allowed Plasti-Fab to bring their experience to new industries, a second location in Lakeland, Florida, and new products, including the new Guardian Shelter Line.
About Plasti-Fab
Plasti-Fab is a world class composite products manufacturer focused on flexible manufacturing that solves customer's needs. For over 40 years they have produced engineered products designed to meet specific application requirements. Plasti-Fab serves the global marketplace from their facilities in Tualatin, Oregon and Lakeland, Florida, as a service-oriented organization with the experience necessary to recommend workable equipment and installation modifications when required.
2009年8月18日星期二
Fire-protection tax fought
The Knox County Commission will consider a three-year contract for Rural/Metro Fire Department to provide fire protection to businesses in the Forks of the River Industrial Park, under a proposal approved with no recommendation Monday by the commission's Finance Committee.
The contract for $807,206 covers three years, beginning Monday if the measure gets commission approval.
The three years of fire protection would be paid for by a special property tax on occupants in the business park — but not without controversy.
John Valliant, representing the businesses in the district, said they are 'opposing the increase.'
'With the economy the way it is and several businesses in the Forks of the River laying off … this is an inopportune time to be imposing a tax for fire protection,' Valliant said. 'This is certainly sending a bad signal. When it comes to County Commission, if it gets that far, there will be companies (here) that feel this is unfair.'
The tax supports a fire station that serves Forks of the River Industrial Park, and 40 businesses 'are directly affected,' Valliant said.
For example, Valliant said Sea Ray Boats has laid off employees.
'It's just not right to do that right now,' he said.
Commissioner Richard Briggs asked when the last time the tax was increased, and Valliant said he didn't believe it's ever been increased in the 16 years it's been in place.
'There's an increase because some of these businesses handle hazardous material,' Valliant said. 'You've got one special tax district here. This is a huge, huge deal. Some people are going to go out of business.'
Mayor Mike Ragsdale's chief of staff Mike Arms said the tax went into place in 1993 and that the park had no fire protection at that time.
Jerry Harnish, Rural/Metro Fire Department fire chief, said that before the early 1990s, there was no fire station to serve the area. 'There was a very destructive fire at Bike Athletic involving liquid propane,' he said, which spurred the location of the fire department on National Drive.
The tax would be $175,000 the first year, about $266,112 the second year and $319,334 the third year. The additional costs would be to pay the Knoxville Utilities Board for the use of water and hydrants.
'The contract doesn't pay for all the costs of the fire station,' Harnish said. 'The residents pay a subscription to the fire station. The issue to us is, if the fire district isn't paying its portion of the costs, the burden falls on residents outside the (industrial park). We don't want residents outside the district to pay for fire protection inside the district.'
The contract for $807,206 covers three years, beginning Monday if the measure gets commission approval.
The three years of fire protection would be paid for by a special property tax on occupants in the business park — but not without controversy.
John Valliant, representing the businesses in the district, said they are 'opposing the increase.'
'With the economy the way it is and several businesses in the Forks of the River laying off … this is an inopportune time to be imposing a tax for fire protection,' Valliant said. 'This is certainly sending a bad signal. When it comes to County Commission, if it gets that far, there will be companies (here) that feel this is unfair.'
The tax supports a fire station that serves Forks of the River Industrial Park, and 40 businesses 'are directly affected,' Valliant said.
For example, Valliant said Sea Ray Boats has laid off employees.
'It's just not right to do that right now,' he said.
Commissioner Richard Briggs asked when the last time the tax was increased, and Valliant said he didn't believe it's ever been increased in the 16 years it's been in place.
'There's an increase because some of these businesses handle hazardous material,' Valliant said. 'You've got one special tax district here. This is a huge, huge deal. Some people are going to go out of business.'
Mayor Mike Ragsdale's chief of staff Mike Arms said the tax went into place in 1993 and that the park had no fire protection at that time.
Jerry Harnish, Rural/Metro Fire Department fire chief, said that before the early 1990s, there was no fire station to serve the area. 'There was a very destructive fire at Bike Athletic involving liquid propane,' he said, which spurred the location of the fire department on National Drive.
The tax would be $175,000 the first year, about $266,112 the second year and $319,334 the third year. The additional costs would be to pay the Knoxville Utilities Board for the use of water and hydrants.
'The contract doesn't pay for all the costs of the fire station,' Harnish said. 'The residents pay a subscription to the fire station. The issue to us is, if the fire district isn't paying its portion of the costs, the burden falls on residents outside the (industrial park). We don't want residents outside the district to pay for fire protection inside the district.'
2009年8月17日星期一
2010 Honda Pilot Review
The 2010 Honda Pilot won't blend in with the crowd, that's for sure. But you'll have to decide whether the Pilot's controversial frp grating and chunky, sometimes overwrought styling fits you or is just too over-the-top.
Edmunds notes that the new Pilot “tries hard to look more like a utility and less like a minivan,” and they call the look “bluff and hearty, like an American wearing a simple white T-shirt,” but point out its “self-consciously truck-style grille that strikes the same note of authenticity as a sumo wrestler wearing a belt buckle from the Salinas Rodeo.”
Automobile reports that the new Pilot “looks like a more muscular caricature of its predecessor, with enormous headlights, a menacing grille, and thick C-pillars.” BusinessWeek finds the Pilot “boxy-looking (and, to my eye, stodgy)."
Most reviewers focus on the grille for critical comments. USA Today thinks the Pilot is “not swoopy and sexy like the CX-9, nor graceful like the GM's GMC/Saturn models,” in part because of its “big, ugly grille—a visual sore point.” They also consider the Pilot’s proportions “off a bit,” though Cars.com thinks there are some “interesting angles in the liftgate near the taillamps.” Car and Driver contends that “there are more right angles on the thing than you’ll find in a T-square factory,” and the Detroit News adds, “None of its edges are sharp; instead, it's soft and curvy.”
Reviewers point to the often-overwrought details of the Pilot's interior, and not always in a positive sense. Motor Trend says the “center stack layout [is] a trifle busy, especially in Touring trim,” and The Detroit News observes that the “center stack, when the navigation system is included, becomes a confusing mess of buttons, switches and knobs.”
Although TheCarConnection.com's editors find the instrument panel in the 2010 Honda Pilot to be overly cluttered, at least in initial feel, several reviewers like the look and the layout. Motor Trend thinks its “3D-look analog gauges” are “highly legible,” but Cars.com spotlights the “new dash” and its “white-faced gauges and translucent turquoise trim,” and thinks “the design works well.”
Edmunds notes that the new Pilot “tries hard to look more like a utility and less like a minivan,” and they call the look “bluff and hearty, like an American wearing a simple white T-shirt,” but point out its “self-consciously truck-style grille that strikes the same note of authenticity as a sumo wrestler wearing a belt buckle from the Salinas Rodeo.”
Automobile reports that the new Pilot “looks like a more muscular caricature of its predecessor, with enormous headlights, a menacing grille, and thick C-pillars.” BusinessWeek finds the Pilot “boxy-looking (and, to my eye, stodgy)."
Most reviewers focus on the grille for critical comments. USA Today thinks the Pilot is “not swoopy and sexy like the CX-9, nor graceful like the GM's GMC/Saturn models,” in part because of its “big, ugly grille—a visual sore point.” They also consider the Pilot’s proportions “off a bit,” though Cars.com thinks there are some “interesting angles in the liftgate near the taillamps.” Car and Driver contends that “there are more right angles on the thing than you’ll find in a T-square factory,” and the Detroit News adds, “None of its edges are sharp; instead, it's soft and curvy.”
Reviewers point to the often-overwrought details of the Pilot's interior, and not always in a positive sense. Motor Trend says the “center stack layout [is] a trifle busy, especially in Touring trim,” and The Detroit News observes that the “center stack, when the navigation system is included, becomes a confusing mess of buttons, switches and knobs.”
Although TheCarConnection.com's editors find the instrument panel in the 2010 Honda Pilot to be overly cluttered, at least in initial feel, several reviewers like the look and the layout. Motor Trend thinks its “3D-look analog gauges” are “highly legible,” but Cars.com spotlights the “new dash” and its “white-faced gauges and translucent turquoise trim,” and thinks “the design works well.”
2009年8月16日星期日
Talley has makes hash of it
Talley's has issued a nationwide recall of hash browns after small pieces of metal from a grating machine were found in two bags produced by its Ashburton plant.
Director Andrew Talley said last night that one of the bags had been sold in Nelson and the other somewhere in the North Island.
"We're confident this is a minor, isolated problem," Mr Talley said.
The company was working with the Food Safety Authority and as a precaution had issued a recall on Value Fries and Pam's products.
The recall on the 2kg hash brown Value Fries product involved bags marked "best before June 5, 2011". The 750g Pam's triangle hash brown bags involved were labelled "best before April 17, 2011".
Mr Talley was unable to say how many bags were being recalled. The two offending bags had escaped the company's metal
2009年8月15日星期六
3D Software Giving Patients Confidence
What if you could see the results of your cosmetic surgery even before you go under the knife? That's the idea behind new 3D technology for surgeons. Doctors report it's giving patients more confidence before they go into surgery.
Jennifer Robinson has suffered with breathing problems for years. "I have memories of being in middle school and not liking my nose," said Robinson. She has a deviated septum and is also a little self conscious about how her nose looks.
"It's really noticeable from the profile I think," she added.
Rhinoplasty specialist Dr. Spencer Cochran showed her how 3D technology is giving patients an advanced look at how their nose will appear after surgery. "The two of us kind of find a common ground to find something that not only would be realistically achieved but something that they would be pleased with as well," explained Cochran.
About a month before surgery, Cochran took a series of close up pictures of Robinson's nose from different angles.
"It was really cool to see and it really helped me to see the changes and helped me to see the problems I was having," Robinson said.
A computer program allows Robinson to see exactly which areas Cochran will repair.
"What we'll do here is remove the hump that you have on your bridge and set your tip back closer to your face," Cochran explained to Robinson.
Cochran takes the 3D images into the operating room to help guide him through the surgery.
"It's nice to just kind of look at it and reassure myself that I'm not doing something I'm going to regret," Robinson concluded.
Two weeks after the procedure Robinson was still a little swollen, but she was amazed how her outcome matched the 3D images she saw before surgery. "I'm happy with it after two weeks. I'm really happy with the profile," she said smiling.
The 3D imagery is mostly used for rhinoplasty surgeries right now, but could be expanded to other procedures in the future.
Jennifer Robinson has suffered with breathing problems for years. "I have memories of being in middle school and not liking my nose," said Robinson. She has a deviated septum and is also a little self conscious about how her nose looks.
"It's really noticeable from the profile I think," she added.
Rhinoplasty specialist Dr. Spencer Cochran showed her how 3D technology is giving patients an advanced look at how their nose will appear after surgery. "The two of us kind of find a common ground to find something that not only would be realistically achieved but something that they would be pleased with as well," explained Cochran.
About a month before surgery, Cochran took a series of close up pictures of Robinson's nose from different angles.
"It was really cool to see and it really helped me to see the changes and helped me to see the problems I was having," Robinson said.
A computer program allows Robinson to see exactly which areas Cochran will repair.
"What we'll do here is remove the hump that you have on your bridge and set your tip back closer to your face," Cochran explained to Robinson.
Cochran takes the 3D images into the operating room to help guide him through the surgery.
"It's nice to just kind of look at it and reassure myself that I'm not doing something I'm going to regret," Robinson concluded.
Two weeks after the procedure Robinson was still a little swollen, but she was amazed how her outcome matched the 3D images she saw before surgery. "I'm happy with it after two weeks. I'm really happy with the profile," she said smiling.
The 3D imagery is mostly used for rhinoplasty surgeries right now, but could be expanded to other procedures in the future.
3D technology centre taking shape
The University of Northampton says work is progressing well on an ￡11 million project designed to provide a technological boost for both students and businesses across the county.
The Grade II-listed Kingsley Park building is being completely refurbished and developed into a technology and research centre that will provide an extended home for the university's School of Applied Sciences.
The project is expected to be occupied and fully operational by April 2010.
In addition Kingsley Park will house the university's new `Nvision' centre, a state-of-the-art facility providing specialist services to help companies of all sizes develop and promote their products using the latest 3D modelling and visualisation capabilities.
"Nvision will include a suite of immersive virtual reality technologies, underpinned by technical resources and extensive expertise at the University," said Nvision manager, Stuart Wayne.
"It will offer significant and exciting benefits to a host of industries, including health, motorsport, games, architectural and environmental organisations to name just a few.
"We plan to have an immersive 3D technology demonstrator unit in place by the beginning of 2010, enabling us to run a series of showcase activities for prospective clients. At the heart of this project is the fact this is the first time in the UK that Small to Medium Size Enterprises will have access to this level of technology."
There will also be additional opportunities for external technologyfocused companies to base themselves within the building through a series of new business innovation units.
The venture is being further supported by a close strategic partnership with the British Institute of Non Destructive Testing (BINDT).
This Kingsley Park building development adds to the recent ￡3 million expansion of the Portfolio Innovation Centre, based at the university's Avenue Campus, which now offers space to house up to 46 of the region's most exciting creative, digital and design companies.
The Grade II-listed Kingsley Park building is being completely refurbished and developed into a technology and research centre that will provide an extended home for the university's School of Applied Sciences.
The project is expected to be occupied and fully operational by April 2010.
In addition Kingsley Park will house the university's new `Nvision' centre, a state-of-the-art facility providing specialist services to help companies of all sizes develop and promote their products using the latest 3D modelling and visualisation capabilities.
"Nvision will include a suite of immersive virtual reality technologies, underpinned by technical resources and extensive expertise at the University," said Nvision manager, Stuart Wayne.
"It will offer significant and exciting benefits to a host of industries, including health, motorsport, games, architectural and environmental organisations to name just a few.
"We plan to have an immersive 3D technology demonstrator unit in place by the beginning of 2010, enabling us to run a series of showcase activities for prospective clients. At the heart of this project is the fact this is the first time in the UK that Small to Medium Size Enterprises will have access to this level of technology."
There will also be additional opportunities for external technologyfocused companies to base themselves within the building through a series of new business innovation units.
The venture is being further supported by a close strategic partnership with the British Institute of Non Destructive Testing (BINDT).
This Kingsley Park building development adds to the recent ￡3 million expansion of the Portfolio Innovation Centre, based at the university's Avenue Campus, which now offers space to house up to 46 of the region's most exciting creative, digital and design companies.
2009年8月13日星期四
Eagle Modular Spill Containment Platforms
Spill 911 is excited to introduce our new and improved Eagle Modular Spill Containment Platforms. Eagle Modular Spill Containment Platforms are easy to use in about every hazardous spill containment environment. The new design makes it easier to create a pallet system that works for you.
The newly redesigned 2-drum and 4-drum platforms now feature several improvements, including forklift pockets, a redesigned flat top frp grating and a new interlocking technology that eliminates the need for U channel connectors. This allows you to quickly join multiple units together to create the desired shape or size. The platforms are constructed of 100% blow-molded, high-density polyethylene with a patented grating design that provides optimal load bearing capacity and removes for easy spill cleanup. Chemical-resistant polyethylene construction will not rust or corrode.
About Spill 911 — Since 1995 we have offered a complete line of industrial absorbents and spill response kits as well as spill containment, material handling, janitorial, stormwater control, facility protection and safety products. Our line is diverse, encompassing the top manufacturers and the highest quality products.
The newly redesigned 2-drum and 4-drum platforms now feature several improvements, including forklift pockets, a redesigned flat top frp grating and a new interlocking technology that eliminates the need for U channel connectors. This allows you to quickly join multiple units together to create the desired shape or size. The platforms are constructed of 100% blow-molded, high-density polyethylene with a patented grating design that provides optimal load bearing capacity and removes for easy spill cleanup. Chemical-resistant polyethylene construction will not rust or corrode.
About Spill 911 — Since 1995 we have offered a complete line of industrial absorbents and spill response kits as well as spill containment, material handling, janitorial, stormwater control, facility protection and safety products. Our line is diverse, encompassing the top manufacturers and the highest quality products.
2009年8月12日星期三
Router with Printer Connectivity
Taipei, Aug 11, 2009 - (ACN Newswire) - The ASUS RT-N13U wireless cnc router is the latest in the line of quality routers from ASUS that aims to provide users with a host of easy-to-use wireless features. Among them, the EZ UI lets users set up and manage wireless connections, printers, and scanners with exceptional ease. It also facilitates troubleshooting, sharing of multimedia content and documents, as well as the allocation of bandwidth to different activities based on user preferences. With more wireless connectivity options, the ASUS RT-N13U can also support 24/7 downloads-even when the PC is turned off. It is also a stylish performer that complements any home or office with its clean design and hidden internal antenna.
Configure an All-in-one Printer Easily with EZ UI
The ASUS RT-N13U wireless router features EZ UI, a powerful graphical user interface that provides intuitive setup and easy management of printers and other networked resources. It features a suite of innovative connectivity solutions including EZ All-in-One Printer, QIS, Ai Disk, Dr. Surf, EZ QoS, and Network Map.
EZ All-in-One Printer allows multiple users to share printers and scanners without a dedicated server managing the process. It increases office efficiency by handling multiple printing requests simultaneously. Additionally, convenient scanning can be done on the printers with auto-installation of drivers. No loading of additional programs is required. For easy configuration, EZ All-in-One Printer supports and detects all the major printer brands on the market.
QIS (Quick Internet Setup) facilitates device connection to the Internet in three easy steps. With Ai Disk, users can easily set up a file-sharing server at home in three simple steps. Dr. Surf offers real-time diagnostics for rapid troubleshooting. EZ QoS lets users easily prioritize application bandwidth for an optimal experience. Network Map provides a complete overview of network status for easy monitoring.
Set Up Effortlessly with EZ Switch
For more advanced users, the ASUS RT-N13U features the exclusive EZ switch with three modes to meet various wireless network requirements. If a user wants to set up an ADSL network at home, they can set the EZ Switch to router mode, whereas if they want to use wireless connectivity, the EZ Switch can be set to repeater mode. Lastly, if the user has another router at home, they may choose the AP mode, which allows them to share the network.
Internal Antenna-A Stylishly Well-received Connection
Another innovative feature of the ASUS RT-N13U is its design. It features an internal antenna, which provides wider coverage than an external antenna. Furthermore, with an optimized antenna isolation configuration, users can get even better connectivity, as well as extremely clear reception for the best performance with minimal adjustments. Finally, with a clean and minimalist exterior, the ASUS RT-N13U is a stylish and contemporary addition to any home.
Configure an All-in-one Printer Easily with EZ UI
The ASUS RT-N13U wireless router features EZ UI, a powerful graphical user interface that provides intuitive setup and easy management of printers and other networked resources. It features a suite of innovative connectivity solutions including EZ All-in-One Printer, QIS, Ai Disk, Dr. Surf, EZ QoS, and Network Map.
EZ All-in-One Printer allows multiple users to share printers and scanners without a dedicated server managing the process. It increases office efficiency by handling multiple printing requests simultaneously. Additionally, convenient scanning can be done on the printers with auto-installation of drivers. No loading of additional programs is required. For easy configuration, EZ All-in-One Printer supports and detects all the major printer brands on the market.
QIS (Quick Internet Setup) facilitates device connection to the Internet in three easy steps. With Ai Disk, users can easily set up a file-sharing server at home in three simple steps. Dr. Surf offers real-time diagnostics for rapid troubleshooting. EZ QoS lets users easily prioritize application bandwidth for an optimal experience. Network Map provides a complete overview of network status for easy monitoring.
Set Up Effortlessly with EZ Switch
For more advanced users, the ASUS RT-N13U features the exclusive EZ switch with three modes to meet various wireless network requirements. If a user wants to set up an ADSL network at home, they can set the EZ Switch to router mode, whereas if they want to use wireless connectivity, the EZ Switch can be set to repeater mode. Lastly, if the user has another router at home, they may choose the AP mode, which allows them to share the network.
Internal Antenna-A Stylishly Well-received Connection
Another innovative feature of the ASUS RT-N13U is its design. It features an internal antenna, which provides wider coverage than an external antenna. Furthermore, with an optimized antenna isolation configuration, users can get even better connectivity, as well as extremely clear reception for the best performance with minimal adjustments. Finally, with a clean and minimalist exterior, the ASUS RT-N13U is a stylish and contemporary addition to any home.
2009年8月11日星期二
The case of the impossible IP address
When I get free time (which isn't often), I try to review the logs of our various security devices. We have other people who can dig through this sort of thing, but I think it's important to be connected to what's going on in our network. Maybe my eyes will see something that the software tools are missing or that other people have overlooked. In this case, I validated that idea.
Trouble Ticket
At issue: A routine review of logs turns up something intriguing.
Action plan: Put on your detective hat, recruit a sidekick, and get to work on solving this mystery.
As I was reading through our firewall's logs, which is usually a tedious and unexciting (though necessary) activity, I found something strange. Our firewall was seeing a lot of traffic coming in from the Internet with the destination IP address of 0.0.0.0 -- an impossible address. I long ago set up a rule on our firewall to block traffic either coming from or going to that and other clearly bogus numbers. Our firewall was dutifully blocking this bad traffic and noting that in its logs. But when I saw the log entries, I was intrigued -- my boring duty had suddenly become interesting. What could be trying to send traffic into my network with that crazy, nonexistent address, and how could it possibly have been delivered to us? That's like finding a letter in your mailbox with no address on it.
I put on my detective hat. There weren't too many possibilities within the realm of credibility. If somebody was sending traffic from somewhere on the Internet to a destination address of all zeroes, it would go exactly nowhere. Yet here it was at my network's door. Was there a way the address could have changed somehow once it got into my perimeter?
I didn't think that was very likely but noted it as a possibility. But if it wasn't coming from the Internet, the only other reasonable explanation I could think of was that the traffic was somehow being injected into our network between our firewall and the Internet, which would mean -- cue the spooky music -- that the call was coming from inside the house!
Zero Sense
Naturally, it's not easy to track down the source of traffic when the address doesn't make any sense. I enlisted the help of my company's network engineer, a very sharp guy. He was as intrigued as I was, so together we set out to try to figure out what was going on. We took a look at the Internet router, which is the next hop for network traffic outside our firewall. We didn't find anything strange in the router's configuration or traffic logs, but something was definitely fishy. There was no trace of any traffic with that strange, all-zero IP address.
After a closer look, the network engineer discovered a significant clue: The router was out of memory. Apparently, our Internet router had been working hard, and it ended up without enough free memory.
In the end, that memory shortage turned out to be the culprit. This brand of router ends up "dropping" some network information when it doesn't have enough memory, and that explains the zeroes: Without enough memory to put together a valid network packet, the result was a bunch of zeroes, some of which turned out to be in the right place to produce the mysterious empty address.
A reboot of the router seems to have solved the problem. Now our network team is going to keep a closer eye on the resource usage in our routers and network devices.
I'm pleased that IT security tools and personnel were able to identify and help track down a functional problem on our network. Even though the problem wasn't strictly security-related, it was first detected by our equipment, and in this case, security was able to do something that was perceived as helpful instead of being a roadblock. I count that as a win.
Trouble Ticket
At issue: A routine review of logs turns up something intriguing.
Action plan: Put on your detective hat, recruit a sidekick, and get to work on solving this mystery.
As I was reading through our firewall's logs, which is usually a tedious and unexciting (though necessary) activity, I found something strange. Our firewall was seeing a lot of traffic coming in from the Internet with the destination IP address of 0.0.0.0 -- an impossible address. I long ago set up a rule on our firewall to block traffic either coming from or going to that and other clearly bogus numbers. Our firewall was dutifully blocking this bad traffic and noting that in its logs. But when I saw the log entries, I was intrigued -- my boring duty had suddenly become interesting. What could be trying to send traffic into my network with that crazy, nonexistent address, and how could it possibly have been delivered to us? That's like finding a letter in your mailbox with no address on it.
I put on my detective hat. There weren't too many possibilities within the realm of credibility. If somebody was sending traffic from somewhere on the Internet to a destination address of all zeroes, it would go exactly nowhere. Yet here it was at my network's door. Was there a way the address could have changed somehow once it got into my perimeter?
I didn't think that was very likely but noted it as a possibility. But if it wasn't coming from the Internet, the only other reasonable explanation I could think of was that the traffic was somehow being injected into our network between our firewall and the Internet, which would mean -- cue the spooky music -- that the call was coming from inside the house!
Zero Sense
Naturally, it's not easy to track down the source of traffic when the address doesn't make any sense. I enlisted the help of my company's network engineer, a very sharp guy. He was as intrigued as I was, so together we set out to try to figure out what was going on. We took a look at the Internet router, which is the next hop for network traffic outside our firewall. We didn't find anything strange in the router's configuration or traffic logs, but something was definitely fishy. There was no trace of any traffic with that strange, all-zero IP address.
After a closer look, the network engineer discovered a significant clue: The router was out of memory. Apparently, our Internet router had been working hard, and it ended up without enough free memory.
In the end, that memory shortage turned out to be the culprit. This brand of router ends up "dropping" some network information when it doesn't have enough memory, and that explains the zeroes: Without enough memory to put together a valid network packet, the result was a bunch of zeroes, some of which turned out to be in the right place to produce the mysterious empty address.
A reboot of the router seems to have solved the problem. Now our network team is going to keep a closer eye on the resource usage in our routers and network devices.
I'm pleased that IT security tools and personnel were able to identify and help track down a functional problem on our network. Even though the problem wasn't strictly security-related, it was first detected by our equipment, and in this case, security was able to do something that was perceived as helpful instead of being a roadblock. I count that as a win.
2009年8月10日星期一
The case of the impossible IP address
When I get free time (which isn't often), I try to review the logs of our various security devices. We have other people who can dig through this sort of thing, but I think it's important to be connected to what's going on in our network. Maybe my eyes will see something that the software tools are missing or that other people have overlooked. In this case, I validated that idea.
As I was reading through our firewall's logs, which is usually a tedious and unexciting (though necessary) activity, I found something strange. Our firewall was seeing a lot of traffic coming in from the Internet with the destination IP address of 0.0.0.0 -- an impossible address. I long ago set up a rule on our firewall to block traffic either coming from or going to that and other clearly bogus numbers. Our firewall was dutifully blocking this bad traffic and noting that in its logs. But when I saw the log entries, I was intrigued -- my boring duty had suddenly become interesting. What could be trying to send traffic into my network with that crazy, nonexistent address, and how could it possibly have been delivered to us? That's like finding a letter in your mailbox with no address on it.
I put on my detective hat. There weren't too many possibilities within the realm of credibility. If somebody was sending traffic from somewhere on the Internet to a destination address of all zeroes, it would go exactly nowhere. Yet here it was at my network's door. Was there a way the address could have changed somehow once it got into my perimeter?
I didn't think that was very likely but noted it as a possibility. But if it wasn't coming from the Internet, the only other reasonable explanation I could think of was that the traffic was somehow being injected into our network between our firewall and the Internet, which would mean -- cue the spooky music -- that the call was coming from inside the house!
Zero Sense
Naturally, it's not easy to track down the source of traffic when the address doesn't make any sense. I enlisted the help of my company's network engineer, a very sharp guy. He was as intrigued as I was, so together we set out to try to figure out what was going on. We took a look at the Internet router, which is the next hop for network traffic outside our firewall. We didn't find anything strange in the router's configuration or traffic logs, but something was definitely fishy. There was no trace of any traffic with that strange, all-zero IP address.
After a closer look, the network engineer discovered a significant clue: The router was out of memory. Apparently, our Internet router had been working hard, and it ended up without enough free memory.
In the end, that memory shortage turned out to be the culprit. This brand of router ends up "dropping" some network information when it doesn't have enough memory, and that explains the zeroes: Without enough memory to put together a valid network packet, the result was a bunch of zeroes, some of which turned out to be in the right place to produce the mysterious empty address.
A reboot of the router seems to have solved the problem. Now our network team is going to keep a closer eye on the resource usage in our routers and network devices.
I'm pleased that IT security tools and personnel were able to identify and help track down a functional problem on our network. Even though the problem wasn't strictly security-related, it was first detected by our router equipment, and in this case, security was able to do something that was perceived as helpful instead of being a roadblock. I count that as a win.
As I was reading through our firewall's logs, which is usually a tedious and unexciting (though necessary) activity, I found something strange. Our firewall was seeing a lot of traffic coming in from the Internet with the destination IP address of 0.0.0.0 -- an impossible address. I long ago set up a rule on our firewall to block traffic either coming from or going to that and other clearly bogus numbers. Our firewall was dutifully blocking this bad traffic and noting that in its logs. But when I saw the log entries, I was intrigued -- my boring duty had suddenly become interesting. What could be trying to send traffic into my network with that crazy, nonexistent address, and how could it possibly have been delivered to us? That's like finding a letter in your mailbox with no address on it.
I put on my detective hat. There weren't too many possibilities within the realm of credibility. If somebody was sending traffic from somewhere on the Internet to a destination address of all zeroes, it would go exactly nowhere. Yet here it was at my network's door. Was there a way the address could have changed somehow once it got into my perimeter?
I didn't think that was very likely but noted it as a possibility. But if it wasn't coming from the Internet, the only other reasonable explanation I could think of was that the traffic was somehow being injected into our network between our firewall and the Internet, which would mean -- cue the spooky music -- that the call was coming from inside the house!
Zero Sense
Naturally, it's not easy to track down the source of traffic when the address doesn't make any sense. I enlisted the help of my company's network engineer, a very sharp guy. He was as intrigued as I was, so together we set out to try to figure out what was going on. We took a look at the Internet router, which is the next hop for network traffic outside our firewall. We didn't find anything strange in the router's configuration or traffic logs, but something was definitely fishy. There was no trace of any traffic with that strange, all-zero IP address.
After a closer look, the network engineer discovered a significant clue: The router was out of memory. Apparently, our Internet router had been working hard, and it ended up without enough free memory.
In the end, that memory shortage turned out to be the culprit. This brand of router ends up "dropping" some network information when it doesn't have enough memory, and that explains the zeroes: Without enough memory to put together a valid network packet, the result was a bunch of zeroes, some of which turned out to be in the right place to produce the mysterious empty address.
A reboot of the router seems to have solved the problem. Now our network team is going to keep a closer eye on the resource usage in our routers and network devices.
I'm pleased that IT security tools and personnel were able to identify and help track down a functional problem on our network. Even though the problem wasn't strictly security-related, it was first detected by our router equipment, and in this case, security was able to do something that was perceived as helpful instead of being a roadblock. I count that as a win.
Sprint unveils new Mobile Broadband Router products
Staying connected no matter where you are is something that most of us take for granted these days, and Sprint aims to enable you to stay in touch with anyone online from anywhere thanks to their new range of Mobile Broadband Router products. These new devices not only allow one, but multiple folks to stay connected at 3G or 4G mobile broadband speeds as long as there are Sprint 3G and 4G networks around. The two new 3G/4G Mobile Broadband Routers are known as the Sprint Personal Hotspot PHS300S and Cradlepoint MBR-1000 Broadband Router, where each of them boast 3G and 4G connectivity and can be used in conjunction with any Sprint 3G or 4G data plan which will set you back anywhere from $39.99 to $79.99 monthly, depending on your choice.
First off is the Sprint Personal Hotspot PHS300S which allows one to connect up to a quartet of simultaneous Wi-Fi connections, while the Cradlepoint MBR-1000 Broadband Router will target businesses and small organizations, where up to 32 simultaneous Wi-Fi connections are supported. Either device is able to handle the entire range of Sprint 3G and Sprint 4G mobile broadband USB devices, so no worries for those who have backwards compatibility in their minds. These devices allow one to connect Wi-Fi-enabled smartphones, notebooks, portable media players, digital cameras, gaming devices and other Wi-Fi-enabled devices simultaneously to the Sprint 3G and 4G networks.
If you want to bring home the Sprint Personal Hot Spot PHS300S, it will cost you $159.99 outright without including any monthly plan charges yet, while those who opt for the Cradlepoint MBR1000 broadband router will have to fork out an initial amount of $249.99. Bear in mind that not all territories are able to support Sprint’s 4G networks just yet, so you might have to make do with 3G connectivity for the moment until an upgraded service is introduced in your area.
2009年8月6日星期四
Cisco's fourth quarter's crib sheet: Gauging enterprise spending
Cisco reports its fourth quarter results Wednesday and analysts are looking for a few signs that the enterprise business has stabilized and an outlook that’s a touch optimistic.
Cisco is expected to report fourth quarter earnings of 28 cents a share on revenue of $8.5 billion. Cisco CEO John Chambers is expected to remain cautious about the economy, but note that the enterprise business has at least stabilized a bit.
Here are some of the mileposts to watch:
Orders: Cowen & Co. analyst John Marchetti said in a research note that he’s looking for “signs of sales stabilization and modest improvement in the order pipeline for Cisco’s enterprise and service provider business” for the back half of calendar 2009. He’s expecting a book-to-bill ratio of 1.
Revenue: Most tech companies this quarter have topped earnings estimates on weak sales. Cisco may be no different. Morgan Keegan analyst Simon Leopold said that sales may fall short of expectations. However, there are some signs that the North America enterprise business is improving and could lead to better fiscal first quarter sales.
We think North American enterprise spending has shown some improvement and large global service providers likely deliver increased spending in (second half of 2009). However, European and emerging market trends from enterprises and carriers sound weak and do not likely rebound in Cisco’s October quarter.
Routers: Leopold sees routers (about 17 percent of Cisco’s sales) being up 3 percent sequentially, but still down 30 percent year over year. Wedbush analyst Matthew Robison is a little more optimistic:
There have also been industry indications that the company is seeing product cycle strength in the router business with adoption of the new applications services router family, especially the ASR9000, and capacity upgrades for 7600 and XR12000 routers. While these products are mostly for service providers with strong emphasis on capacity to accommodate video, industry checks and our June survey indicate router upgrades remain high priority with enterprise customers.
A recommended website:cnc router
Cisco is expected to report fourth quarter earnings of 28 cents a share on revenue of $8.5 billion. Cisco CEO John Chambers is expected to remain cautious about the economy, but note that the enterprise business has at least stabilized a bit.
Here are some of the mileposts to watch:
Orders: Cowen & Co. analyst John Marchetti said in a research note that he’s looking for “signs of sales stabilization and modest improvement in the order pipeline for Cisco’s enterprise and service provider business” for the back half of calendar 2009. He’s expecting a book-to-bill ratio of 1.
Revenue: Most tech companies this quarter have topped earnings estimates on weak sales. Cisco may be no different. Morgan Keegan analyst Simon Leopold said that sales may fall short of expectations. However, there are some signs that the North America enterprise business is improving and could lead to better fiscal first quarter sales.
We think North American enterprise spending has shown some improvement and large global service providers likely deliver increased spending in (second half of 2009). However, European and emerging market trends from enterprises and carriers sound weak and do not likely rebound in Cisco’s October quarter.
Routers: Leopold sees routers (about 17 percent of Cisco’s sales) being up 3 percent sequentially, but still down 30 percent year over year. Wedbush analyst Matthew Robison is a little more optimistic:
There have also been industry indications that the company is seeing product cycle strength in the router business with adoption of the new applications services router family, especially the ASR9000, and capacity upgrades for 7600 and XR12000 routers. While these products are mostly for service providers with strong emphasis on capacity to accommodate video, industry checks and our June survey indicate router upgrades remain high priority with enterprise customers.
A recommended website:cnc router
2009年8月5日星期三
Cisco Ignores Sizable Market For Used Networking Gear
NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--While luxury car company BMW AG (BMW.XE) feels comfortable selling used cars, Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) remains skittish about doing the same with its routers and switches.
Demand for used networking equipment (eg:cnc router) flourishes without Cisco, driven by the recession and tightening budgets. Yet instead of embracing the estimated $2 billion market, the San Jose networking titan largely ignores it, pointing out the potential risks and complications of using discarded gear.
But in mostly avoiding the market, industry observers say, Cisco is missing an opportunity to provide a low-end offering when businesses are seeking a break.
"There's a fundamental change with the way IT managers are thinking about owning equipment," said Doug Washburn, analyst at Forrester Research. "The down economy is prompting these questions and forcing people to act on this."
Take the Baylor College of Medicine. For a year and a half, the school has dabbled in the secondary market, but only as a seller who unloads older equipment.
The college has always bought new products from Cisco, but Bud Bocchino, director of supply chain management for the school, said with resources stretched, he would try to convince the IT department to start buying used.
"It's breaking new ground for us here," Bocchino said. "I'm hoping to bring them around."
Bocchino doesn't go to Cisco to sell or buy used equipment. Instead, he goes to privately held Network Hardware Resale LLC, the largest player in what is known as the "grey market."
Used equipment can be bought at 50% to 70% off of the retail price, according to Mike Sheldon, chief executive of NHR, which is on track to generate $180 million in sales this year.
The recession has created a large pool of inventory as businesses have gone belly up or resellers were stuck with excess equipment to dump. Sheldon said a third of its inventory has never been used, and nearly all of it was originally made by Cisco.
Interest in the secondary market is on the rise. NHR, based in Santa Barbara, Calif., said unit sales are up 10% from a year ago, and the number of customers has risen by 5%. Revenue, though, is still flat due to pricing pressure.
"This could be a wave of people getting more comfortable with the secondhand market," Washburn said.
Cisco, meanwhile, posted a 17% drop in revenue in the fiscal third quarter, and is expected to see an 18% decline in fourth-quarter sales when it reports Wednesday.
Sometimes, you get what you pay for, according to Cisco. The company notes that counterfeit or faulty equipment is a common risk when buying from the grey market. The complicated set-up and different components mean lots can go wrong.
"Cisco is more concerned with the potential adverse customer satisfaction and brand impact from this market," a company spokesman said. Cisco has its own refurbished equipment program, but it's fairly limited.
The two largest grey market vendors, NHR and Network Liquidators Inc., both tout a low failure rate for their products and said they work with authorities to ensure the products were legally obtained.
Cisco declined to comment on the vendors.
Rather than thumb its nose at the grey market, analysts say Cisco should embrace it. The company is already facing price competition from cheaper players such as Hewlett-Packard Co.'s (HPQ) Procurve unit, Dell Inc. (DELL) and Extreme Networks Inc. (EXTR). Offering discounted used equipment, or partnering with vendors who do, could allow Cisco to compete on price.
The other big tech players share a similar attitude on the grey market as Cisco, but given the company's size and dominance of the networking industry, it could benefit most by moving into the segment, analysts say.
Fostering a marketplace for used Cisco equipment could also prevent businesses from looking elsewhere for cheaper options. Cisco, meanwhile, could sell additional features or services because they run on the same platform.
"To pretend a resale market for that equipment doesn't exist is crazy," Sheldon said. "If Cisco partnered with us, they could help stave off lost customers."
Demand for used networking equipment (eg:cnc router) flourishes without Cisco, driven by the recession and tightening budgets. Yet instead of embracing the estimated $2 billion market, the San Jose networking titan largely ignores it, pointing out the potential risks and complications of using discarded gear.
But in mostly avoiding the market, industry observers say, Cisco is missing an opportunity to provide a low-end offering when businesses are seeking a break.
"There's a fundamental change with the way IT managers are thinking about owning equipment," said Doug Washburn, analyst at Forrester Research. "The down economy is prompting these questions and forcing people to act on this."
Take the Baylor College of Medicine. For a year and a half, the school has dabbled in the secondary market, but only as a seller who unloads older equipment.
The college has always bought new products from Cisco, but Bud Bocchino, director of supply chain management for the school, said with resources stretched, he would try to convince the IT department to start buying used.
"It's breaking new ground for us here," Bocchino said. "I'm hoping to bring them around."
Bocchino doesn't go to Cisco to sell or buy used equipment. Instead, he goes to privately held Network Hardware Resale LLC, the largest player in what is known as the "grey market."
Used equipment can be bought at 50% to 70% off of the retail price, according to Mike Sheldon, chief executive of NHR, which is on track to generate $180 million in sales this year.
The recession has created a large pool of inventory as businesses have gone belly up or resellers were stuck with excess equipment to dump. Sheldon said a third of its inventory has never been used, and nearly all of it was originally made by Cisco.
Interest in the secondary market is on the rise. NHR, based in Santa Barbara, Calif., said unit sales are up 10% from a year ago, and the number of customers has risen by 5%. Revenue, though, is still flat due to pricing pressure.
"This could be a wave of people getting more comfortable with the secondhand market," Washburn said.
Cisco, meanwhile, posted a 17% drop in revenue in the fiscal third quarter, and is expected to see an 18% decline in fourth-quarter sales when it reports Wednesday.
Sometimes, you get what you pay for, according to Cisco. The company notes that counterfeit or faulty equipment is a common risk when buying from the grey market. The complicated set-up and different components mean lots can go wrong.
"Cisco is more concerned with the potential adverse customer satisfaction and brand impact from this market," a company spokesman said. Cisco has its own refurbished equipment program, but it's fairly limited.
The two largest grey market vendors, NHR and Network Liquidators Inc., both tout a low failure rate for their products and said they work with authorities to ensure the products were legally obtained.
Cisco declined to comment on the vendors.
Rather than thumb its nose at the grey market, analysts say Cisco should embrace it. The company is already facing price competition from cheaper players such as Hewlett-Packard Co.'s (HPQ) Procurve unit, Dell Inc. (DELL) and Extreme Networks Inc. (EXTR). Offering discounted used equipment, or partnering with vendors who do, could allow Cisco to compete on price.
The other big tech players share a similar attitude on the grey market as Cisco, but given the company's size and dominance of the networking industry, it could benefit most by moving into the segment, analysts say.
Fostering a marketplace for used Cisco equipment could also prevent businesses from looking elsewhere for cheaper options. Cisco, meanwhile, could sell additional features or services because they run on the same platform.
"To pretend a resale market for that equipment doesn't exist is crazy," Sheldon said. "If Cisco partnered with us, they could help stave off lost customers."
Is Your Linksys or Netgear Router Open to Attack?
If you have a Linksys model WRT160N or Netgear RP614v4 router, it may be time to worry a little. At least according to a report out of Defcon from The Register. The vulnerability is based on CSRF, or cross-site request forgery, an issue with the cPanel web-based control software used to administrate the devices.
Basically, if you're logged into the router as an admin while you visit a seemingly benign site that contains a malicious cross-site request forgery, they can do all kinds of nasty stuff. They can change your admin login, load custom firmware, or change basically any setting they want.
cPanel is a fairly popular web-based hosting application, and of course companies like Linksys and Netgear often use similar code across a product line, so there may be quite a few other products compromised - the two mentioned above are just the two singled out by the security researchers.
Will it get fixed? Probably not. Reseacher Mike Bailey is quoted saying, "The response I got from cPanel was we can't fix this because it's a feature. Apparently, they're worried it's going to break integration with third party billing software, so they can't fix this."
2009年8月3日星期一
3G Routers for On-The-Go Web Work
Every laptop comes with Wi-Fi these days, but all the Wi-Fi in the world is useless if you're so remote that there's no signal around. Wi-Fi public hotspots are in a lot of places, but they're not everywhere, and stealing from neighbors can be an iffy legal proposition. Not even cable and DSL can go everywhere. That's why wireless carriers like Sprint and Verizon Wireless offer 3G service, which can go a lot farther (at least in the right markets).
Beyond Wi-Fi
3G stands for "third generation," a catch-all term for several wireless broadband technologies. Sprint and Verizon Wireless both use a tech called EV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized ) Rev. A, which can deliver a typical download speed around 1.0 to 1.1 Megabits per second, with occasional bursts to go faster. Of course, 3G connectivity is in phones, but you can also buy 3G modems for laptops. Usually these modems come as USB dongles or PC Cards or ExpressCards. What you need depends on your laptop.
Now, what if you could get a router—just like the one you use on your home or office network to get Wi-Fi—but instead of having Internet powered by a cable or DSL modem, the backbone was that wireless 3G connection? Just plug that USB-based 3G modem dongle in and you could take your Wi-Fi with you anywhere—in theory.
Bring your AC Adapter
One hang-up is power. Wi-Fi signals suck a lot of electrical juice. (Go ahead and turn off your laptop's Wi-Fi sometime and see how much longer the battery lasts.) Because they need to be plugged in, most 3G-capable Wi-Fi routers are more "portable" than truly mobile—great for remote meetings, but still pretty stationary.
Such is the case with three of the products in this group from Linksys by Cisco, Netgear, and LevelOne. The upside of such routers is they can use 3G modems from multiple carriers, have the full complement of router features (including security), and because they run off AC power, they offer very powerful Wi-Fi signals.
However, two other products in this list are unique at the moment: completely mobile routers. The MiFi 2200 is made by Novatel, but like most of Novatel's products, it's resold by carriers. In this case, we got the first-generation versions from Sprint and Verizon Wireless. The MiFi quickly translates the carrier 3G signal into Wi-Fi suitable for up to 5 users. Only five, because the MiFi is super small (fits in a pocket) and entirely battery operated, making it perfect for all the Wi-Fi users in your car-pool. However, the battery doesn't last long if you connect multiple Wi-Fi devices, and MiFi can run a little too hot to actually stay in the pocket without getting uncomfortable. As first-generation products go, they're pretty amazing, albeit not quite perfect for their price. Yet.
Beyond Wi-Fi
3G stands for "third generation," a catch-all term for several wireless broadband technologies. Sprint and Verizon Wireless both use a tech called EV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized ) Rev. A, which can deliver a typical download speed around 1.0 to 1.1 Megabits per second, with occasional bursts to go faster. Of course, 3G connectivity is in phones, but you can also buy 3G modems for laptops. Usually these modems come as USB dongles or PC Cards or ExpressCards. What you need depends on your laptop.
Now, what if you could get a router—just like the one you use on your home or office network to get Wi-Fi—but instead of having Internet powered by a cable or DSL modem, the backbone was that wireless 3G connection? Just plug that USB-based 3G modem dongle in and you could take your Wi-Fi with you anywhere—in theory.
Bring your AC Adapter
One hang-up is power. Wi-Fi signals suck a lot of electrical juice. (Go ahead and turn off your laptop's Wi-Fi sometime and see how much longer the battery lasts.) Because they need to be plugged in, most 3G-capable Wi-Fi routers are more "portable" than truly mobile—great for remote meetings, but still pretty stationary.
Such is the case with three of the products in this group from Linksys by Cisco, Netgear, and LevelOne. The upside of such routers is they can use 3G modems from multiple carriers, have the full complement of router features (including security), and because they run off AC power, they offer very powerful Wi-Fi signals.
However, two other products in this list are unique at the moment: completely mobile routers. The MiFi 2200 is made by Novatel, but like most of Novatel's products, it's resold by carriers. In this case, we got the first-generation versions from Sprint and Verizon Wireless. The MiFi quickly translates the carrier 3G signal into Wi-Fi suitable for up to 5 users. Only five, because the MiFi is super small (fits in a pocket) and entirely battery operated, making it perfect for all the Wi-Fi users in your car-pool. However, the battery doesn't last long if you connect multiple Wi-Fi devices, and MiFi can run a little too hot to actually stay in the pocket without getting uncomfortable. As first-generation products go, they're pretty amazing, albeit not quite perfect for their price. Yet.
The trouble with hooking up
Brian Worobey stands on the roof of the Tobin Community Center in Boston peering through a telescopic sight, the sort that fits snugly atop a sniper rifle. Spread out before him is a target-rich environment: the town houses of Mission Main, the Alice Taylor homes, the Franklin Square Apartments -- residential space for thousands of Bostonians. From where he is standing, Worobey figures he can hit them all with radio waves capable of carrying Internet data.
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COMMENTS (8)
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August 2, 2009 cover
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august 2 globe magazine cover
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The sniper scope is to help him spot a work crew perched on the roof of the Beatty Hall library at the Wentworth Institute of Technology a quarter mile away. That crew and Worobey’s are doing the same thing: installing digital radio devices to wirelessly connect computers in homes and businesses to the Internet. Two electricians are setting up a big white box festooned with antennas, wiring it to the city’s fiber-optic network.
Worobey points southwest toward Mission Hill, another prime target. “We’ve got the hill covered reasonably well,” he says. “When we light this up, we’ll get this whole area covered.” This box -- it’s one of about 100 wireless networking devices that his nonprofit has installed in Boston -- is yet another step toward Worobey’s goal: a city where Internet access flows in the air and where it might eventually carry the same price -- zero.As chief executive and president of OpenAirBoston, Worobey has spent the past three years working toward that goal. In 2006, when he was vice president of information systems at the Museum of Science, he was on a task force established by Mayor Tom Menino to figure out exactly how to set up such a network. The task force report, issued in July of that year, figured the job would take 12 to 18 months and cost $16 million to $20 million. By now, you should be able to stand on any corner, anywhere in town, whip out a wireless-equipped laptop, and get on the city network. Try it in Jamaica Plain or Southie, Allston or Back Bay, and you’re in for a disappointment. But try it on Westland Avenue in the Fenway district, or Warren Street in Roxbury, and you’ll see that the efforts of OpenAirBoston haven’t been entirely fruitless. In about 2 square miles out of Boston’s 48, less than 5 percent of the city, you’ll find wireless capability, up to 1 million bits per second, that the nonprofit manages. That’s not much for YouTube videos. But it’s plenty for e-mailing a client or researching homework.
it turns out that building a wireless network that provides cnc router to all of Boston is going to take more time -- not more money, though that point is moot since the city doesn’t have it budgeted -- than the mayor’s task force predicted. In fact, this kind of project has thwarted government leaders and technologists in cities from coast to coast.
Discuss
COMMENTS (8)
*
August 2, 2009 cover
*
august 2 globe magazine cover
See more stories from this issue.
The sniper scope is to help him spot a work crew perched on the roof of the Beatty Hall library at the Wentworth Institute of Technology a quarter mile away. That crew and Worobey’s are doing the same thing: installing digital radio devices to wirelessly connect computers in homes and businesses to the Internet. Two electricians are setting up a big white box festooned with antennas, wiring it to the city’s fiber-optic network.
Worobey points southwest toward Mission Hill, another prime target. “We’ve got the hill covered reasonably well,” he says. “When we light this up, we’ll get this whole area covered.” This box -- it’s one of about 100 wireless networking devices that his nonprofit has installed in Boston -- is yet another step toward Worobey’s goal: a city where Internet access flows in the air and where it might eventually carry the same price -- zero.As chief executive and president of OpenAirBoston, Worobey has spent the past three years working toward that goal. In 2006, when he was vice president of information systems at the Museum of Science, he was on a task force established by Mayor Tom Menino to figure out exactly how to set up such a network. The task force report, issued in July of that year, figured the job would take 12 to 18 months and cost $16 million to $20 million. By now, you should be able to stand on any corner, anywhere in town, whip out a wireless-equipped laptop, and get on the city network. Try it in Jamaica Plain or Southie, Allston or Back Bay, and you’re in for a disappointment. But try it on Westland Avenue in the Fenway district, or Warren Street in Roxbury, and you’ll see that the efforts of OpenAirBoston haven’t been entirely fruitless. In about 2 square miles out of Boston’s 48, less than 5 percent of the city, you’ll find wireless capability, up to 1 million bits per second, that the nonprofit manages. That’s not much for YouTube videos. But it’s plenty for e-mailing a client or researching homework.
it turns out that building a wireless network that provides cnc router to all of Boston is going to take more time -- not more money, though that point is moot since the city doesn’t have it budgeted -- than the mayor’s task force predicted. In fact, this kind of project has thwarted government leaders and technologists in cities from coast to coast.
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